Call Me Crazy
by xXLittlePandaXx
Summary: "Everyone has their own story, and they interpret it their own way...this is mine. Living in Gotham City, you learn to keep your head down and fists raised. I was normal - at least as normal as I could be swarmed in a city of gang violence..." *Synopsis Included In Story*
1. Synopsis

Synopsis


	2. Chapter One

Chapter One: Love Hate Relationship

"Get the hell up and take care of your kitchen duties!"

A groan presses at the base of my throat, but I manage to suppress the noise as I hoist myself from my old mattress. Aunt Claire sends a cold glare my way before making it a point to slam the door shut. That's usually how every morning goes, the little times that I do manage to snap back at her I receive a severe beating. Sometimes, very briefly, a whisper of what looks like fear flashes through her eyes. But maybe it's just wishful thinking. I pull on a pair of my few clothes, glad that they aren't grimy this time. The large white shirt is so big against my frame that every now and then it slips off my shoulder. Reaching under my mattress, I grope around blindly for the one thing that keeps me sane.

I grab the small bottle of foundation with a victorious smile, easily finding my other makeup supplies just beside it. Makeup is a passion I pursue deeply than anything else. It's my form of art and expression, the only thing that's truly stuck by me my entire life. Everyone's got to have just one thing for themselves -- that anchor rooting them in place. Something that will always be...consistent. I thought by now the wicked bitch of the west would have found it, but oddly enough it remains. Just before I come home I make sure to wipe it all away. I wouldn't come out unscathed if Claire ever found out.

Easily, I apply my foundation and work to contour the angles of my face. That's all makeup really is; highlighting your beauty. I glance into the small mirror I'd swiped from a store three days ago. So far, so good. Making sure to blend and add my finishing touches I lift my shaking fingers toward my eyes. Now comes the difficult struggle of false eyelashes. They really are a pain, but in the end, the results are so worth it. After I successfully finished getting ready I made sure to shuffle to the kitchen with my head down. Claire has a prodigy who's bitchiness almost matches hers. Valarie. She makes herself seem sweet, but she's a lying serpent that has nothing better to do than stalk me in hopes that I slip up. The walk to the kitchen isn't very long and fortunately Ella greets me with a thumbs up.

"Yo, what's up E?"

"I want to die." I reply jokingly as I grab a pan from a cupboard above my head.

"Don't we all?" she mutters below her breath with a chuckle. As we laugh I crack open a pair of eggs against the counter. "Careful!" Ella hisses as I drop them into the skillet like a pro. "I know, I know 'Claire will have my ass if I get any shells in the food.'" I roll my eyes, but fall silent when I remember the harsh whipping Noah received for one small shell. He was twelve for Christ sake! I bit my lip in anger at the memory, but shook it from my mind.

Stirring up your emotions never leads to anything good Echo.

The rest of making breakfast was spent with idle chit chat about the latest news of Batman, the famed vigilante dressed like an idiot. I mean seriously who wears cat ears with a built in six pack and calls himself a bat? The only "bat" I see is bat shit crazy. Emphasis on the shit and crazy. Serving breakfast was left to Joshua and Eli, the twin boys with serious anger issues. Don't ask me why Claire assigned them the job. Our duties officially taken care of, we head to the orphanage entrance. Ella and I walk alongside each other down the fogged up street of Gotham City in the direction of our high school. Lucky for us no thugs or criminals seem to be lurking about in the shadows today. That's something you adapt to in this hell hole. Fight or flight.

Ella nervously shuffles beside me through the early morning smog, glancing up at the cloudy sky every now and then. There always seems to be a looming storm above Gotham. I never understood why. Even when it's summer, the sorrow in the air clings to your skin like a magnet. The narrow sidewalk comes to a stop and separates us with long strips of white lines from our school on the other side of the road. With an annoyed sigh I push the button for the crosswalk.

"...Echo?" Ella whispered into the silence as a few cars whipped past.

"What?"

"Why doesn't anyone want me?" she asked me softly. My eyes met hers and I pulled her lean body to me. "Baby, you're worth so much more than Gotham will ever know." I murmured into her hair. "...They want perfect little kids. Once you're past fourteen you become invisible. That's just the way this cruel place works." I release Ella's tall frame and stepped back just in time for the walk light to flicker green. As usual I lead her across the street beside me before pushing through the students crowding the entrance.

Being stuck in the system for so long I'm used to being unwanted. Ella...she's not like the rest of us. She had a real family that cared for her, a loving mother and father. Her parents left this world all too soon and for that she would never forgive herself. Even if it wasn't her fault. We entered the school, me linking my arm in Ella's, giving her a bright smile in hopes that she'd cheer up soon. It must have worked because soon she returned my toothy grin with one of her own and we pulled away from each other to get to class.

"Blah blah blah -- "

I am almost certain that some of these teachers don't pause to breathe during their lectures. Namely Miss Shoe, whose red lipstick is smeared all against her teeth. Sighing into the cold room I rub my arms and glance out the window. I don't bother paying attention to any of the lectures as usual. I'll just study it from my textbook later. The trees outside look as dull and lifeless as they normally do, but something about the way they rustle makes me uneasy. The half dead limbs have an awkward sway that stops every now and then. Like they're trying to speak to me. Closing my eyes, I imagine I'm one of them, gently rocking back and forth without care.

" -- Ms. Sullivan?"

My eyes snap open and look toward the board where Miss Shoe looks at me worriedly. "Everything okay?" she asks cautiously, like I'm some feral animal. I nod and plop my chin into my hand while the class looks between us in confusion.

"Alright now class, pay attention." Miss Shoe claps her hands and continues her rambling about sonnets. I ignored her talk about letters until the class ended and she wiped off the board behind her.

I gather up my binder and textbooks for my next class, holding them against my chest as I exit. "Echo!" Ella calls from behind me. I turn with a small smile, motioning her forward. She skips beside me clearly in a much better mood than earlier. I still felt bad about the whole thing, but I know she's strong, she'll get through it. Gotham can break people but I refuse to let Ella be hurt. Clusters of kids pile around talking by the walls while we walk to our next period, which thankfully, we have together.

"Attention students and teachers, please report to the gym at this time. Thank you."

I frown to myself, but like all the other buzzing delinquents, I find myself filing in the direction the gym.

I'm met with the sight of distraught teachers and students alike whispering to their companions. An ocean of silence washes over the crowd, caused by none other than our tense principal stepping in front of the bleachers. Obviously something's happening, what exactly, I'm not sure -- but it's _definitely_ not good. She takes a moment to gather her bearings, meticulously smoothing out her pencil skirt. My eyes searched her cold expression with distaste. Something about her long fake nails makes me shiver.

"Students," she finally booms.

It was so eerily silent in the room that a pen drop could be heard from a mile away. A flicker of emotion passed through the principal's expression. _Fear._ She was hesitant, and that didn't settle well in my stomach.

"Due to some safety hazards in the area --" Immediately an uproar broke her off, silenced only by the wave of her hand.

"You will all need to arrange a ride home. As of this moment forth we will be on code yellow lockdown." she finished simply, a slight waver to her otherwise monotone voice.

Another tsunami of protesting broke out in the gymnasium while I paled in my seat. I have no ride home, there's no other option than the dangerous streets of the city. Immediately I stood from my seat and began pushing through the bleachers to find Ella.

We have no one, but each other, and I'll be damned that she gets hurt.


End file.
